SGER: Genetic Identification and Characterization of Siphonophores and of Ctenophores

由于无法确定海洋物种的遗传组成和结构，研究公海生物分布的远洋生物地理学受到了限制。George Matsumoto博士和他的同事们将尝试将新的分子系统的DNA分析方法应用于两种鲜为人知的远洋生物——虹吸管和栉水母——的样本。实验室的重点将放在分析线粒体DNA和核糖体DNA上，因为这类DNA在其他动物群体中已被证明具有实用性。如果成功，这项研究将产生有助于描述这些殖民地无脊椎动物群体内部和群体之间遗传多样性和差异的数据。所研究的生物具有凝胶状的外鞘，这对DNA的提取和分析提出了特殊的问题。因此，SGER机制特别适合支持这一探索性研究。

Pelagic biogeography, the study of the distribution of organisms in the open ocean, has been limited by the inability to determine the genetic composition and structure of marine species. Dr. George Matsumoto and colleagues will try to apply new molecular systematic methods of DNA analysis to samples of two poorly known groups of pelagic organisms, siphonophores and ctenophores. Emphasis in the laboratory will be placed on analyzing mitochondrial DNA and ribosomal DNA, because of the demonstrated utility of these classes of DNA in other animal groups. If successful, the study will yield data that will help characterize the genetic diversity and differences within and among groups of these colonial invertebrates. The organisms under study have gelatinous outer sheaths, which present special problems for the extraction and analysis of DNA. Thus, the SGER mechanism is especially appropriate for support of this exploratory research.